Introducing Mercury-free Techniques in Artisanal Gold Mining

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Amalgamation from artisanal gold mining represents today the main source of mercury pollution in the planet releasing/emitting between 1400 and 1600 tonnes/a of metallic mercury. Approximately 16 million individuals, spread over virtually all developing countries, are directly involved in extracting gold using rudimentary techniques. Artisanal miners are currently extracting 300 to 500 tonnes/a of gold worldwide increasing river siltation, mercury pollution, and generating many other environmental, political and social problems. This Discovery Grant proposal is in line with my former grants that has focused on reduction/elimination of mercury pollution from artisanal gold miners worldwide. This proposal has as its main objectives the following steps:***1) Investigation of mercury-free technologies to extract gold using intensive cyanidation or other lixiviants from gravity/flotation concentrates in small ball mills or filtration systems (to speed up the leaching process) ***2) Feasibility study of the alternative methods to be implemented in small scale***3) Demonstrate and replicate the "new" techniques in the Training Centres being installed by UBC in developing countries in partnership with Governments.***The ultimate objective of my work is to transform artisanal-disorganized-illegal miners into small-formal-responsible miners. This proposal is just a piece of this intricate puzzle that involves trust, education, organization, capital and then legalization of the miners. The main stakeholders repository of the findings of the work described in this proposal are the top artisanal miners, owners of processing centres, who have basic knowledge and capital to make changes in the sector.The techniques to extract gold to be demonstrated to artisanal miners must be simple, efficient fast and affordable. The majority (>70%) of the mercury releases/emissions from artisanal gold miners occur when they amalgamate the whole ore. The current proposal intends to promote simple gravity concentration + column flotation techniques followed by leaching of concentrates using ball mills or filtration systems. The proposal has a strong component of field work for training miners, academics and authorities to demonstrate success cleaner methods to leach gold. This will occur using the Training Centres for Artisanal Miners that are being implementing by UBC MINE. The novelty of this proposal is the development of new small-scale gold extraction methods and adaptation of existing industrial techniques for the reality of the artisanal miners.**